The Importance of Scientific Knowledge as Support to Protection, Conservation and Management of West and Central African Estuaries - The Land/Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone of West and Central Africa - page 200

The Importance of Scientific Knowledge
as Support to Protection, Conservation
and Management of West and Central African
Estuaries

S. Diop, J.-P. Barusseau, and C. Descamps

Abstract
The concluding chapter of this volume of the series ''Estuaries of the World'', focused on
Western and Central African coastal zone, highlights the complexity of such coastal
environments and ecosystems. This chapter insists as well on the need for an increased
knowledge of the structure and functions of these coastal ecosystems, while highlighting the
life-supporting ecosystem goods and services they provide to humanity, including both the
scientific and management implications. The challenge ahead of us will be to enhance the
networking possibilities and to increase the capacities of young scientists working on African
coastal zones.

Keywords

Networking possibilities Capacities development of young African scientists Ecosystem

goods and services Life-supporting ecosystem goods and services

As highlighted in this volume of the series ''Estuaries of the
World'' (EOTW) focused on Western and Central African
coastal zone, estuarine and other coastal ecosystems rep-
resent the basic linkages between the land and the sea. They
are complex, biologically productive and important, both
for human existence and environmental sustainability,
whether in Africa or other regions of the world. Completion
of this topic devoted to the integrated management and

sustainable use of these important ecosystems, therefore,
achieves several major goals. One important goal is
increased knowledge of their structure and functions of
these linking ecosystems, as well as highlighting the life-
supporting ecosystem goods and services they provide to
humanity, including both the scientific and management
implications. Another goal is enhancing the networking
possibilities and increasing the capacities of young scien-
tists working on African coastal zones. Considered in this
context, this publication represents a model of collaboration
for the protection, conservation and management of the
estuaries and other coastal systems of West and Central
Africa and their resources in a sustainable manner. Because
such information and data are fundamental to the goal of
monitoring and analysing the status of estuarine and other
coastal ecosystems, pursuing such development and
exchange of data and information, while also maintaining
effective partnerships and networking for easier access to
estuarine-related information and data for West and Central
Africa, is essential. The challenge ahead of us is to con-
stitute viable centres that include systems and approaches